Drum major receives first place at camp
By Erika Massek
October 16, 2006
Spectators sit in the football stands, and when the half time buzzer rings and the band comes out to play, they see junior drum major Austin Roberson standing on a ladder, waving his hands. Many wonder, "What is he doing?" He is leading the band, and his hard work was recently validated at summer camp.
On July 17-20, Roberson traveled to Pittsburgh State University. Roberson, along with 95 other drum majors, learned a routine and performed it for judges. He shone above the rest as he captured first place with his routine.
"At camp, we were judged on how well we performed a routine that they taught to us throughout the duration of the camp. On the last day, they taught us a routine and we performed it in front of the whole camp and friends and family. They gave us a rating from zero to 100, and I got a 98, which was the highest scoring of a drum major at camp," he said.
Roberson explained that it takes a lot of work to be a drum major.
"It means coming before the band gets to class, leaving after the band class is done, risking the chance of being late to your next class. I learned new fundamentals that will help the band look sharp and clean. I also learned how to make each member of the band come together as a team to achieve one common goal," he said.
Roberson commented that he has always aspired to serve as the band's drum major.
"When I was growing up in junior high, I always wanted to be a drum major when I grew up. It looked like so much fun and I decided that since we were getting a new band teacher, it would be the only chance I could get to get what I wanted since I was a kid.
"I don't really know if it was just one person who inspired me to be a drum major, but between going to the K-state games and watching their drum major and watching the drum majors at Silver Lake High School, I was inspired to be a drum major," he said.
Roberson stated the main quality that he must have to be a drum major is leadership and that there are a lot of responsibilities.
"A drum major definitely must have a quality of leadership. They must be able to motivate the band to do things they are not always going to want to do. For example, when we go outside for class, the band doesn't always want to go outside. You motivate them to do well and achieve what the band is working for.
"My responsibilities as a drum major are to come before class and help Mrs. Liggatt with whatever she needs, whether it is copying, setting out the chairs and stands, or writing the plan for the day. Also, being at every home football game, being at every nightly practice we have, coming in after school, checking up on the director to make sure everything is going as planned, and of course directing the band at half time," he said.
Roberson said he would like to use his drum major responsibilities in college.
"When I go to college, I wanted to master in performing arts and I was going to take band and hopefully marching band and someday maybe perform in a drum corp. For now, I plan on using my drum major responsibilities in my college years and maybe some years after that," he said.
Roberson also explained the biggest challenge is that he goes to school with the students in the band, and they may not listen to him.
"I think the biggest challenge about being a drum major in high school and maybe not such a problem in college, but I know in high school, the problem is that you are part of the student body and the students aren't always going to want to listen to you because you are the same age. They don't really think that you have any authority over them, so they just back talk you and then stuff doesn't get done the way you want it to," he said.
Drum major receives first place at camp
| Date | Subject | Posted by: |
|---|---|---|
| 10/20/2006 | Great Job Erika!! You wrote a very good article. | Glenda Glennym@aol.com |
